The way that we see is very complicated. It’s not as simple as we would think. We don’t just look at something, and magically see what that thing is. In actuality, there is a process that takes place within our eyes, and with light rays themselves that enable to us to see things.

This process is reflection. When we look at things, the light rays from other light sources such as the sun, lamps, or fire, reflect off of that thing and into our eyes, enabling us to see them. There are processes inside our eyes that take place as well, but without the light first reflecting off of the object and into our eyes, we would not be able to see light, and in reality, we wouldn’t be able to see anything rightly in this world. This same process takes shape in Christians today.

Matthew 5:14 tells us this,

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden”.

Christians are the light of the world. In a world full of darkness, that which we are ever so familiar with, Christians shine through. Where there is darkness, the Christian should be a light. However, you see it more often that Christians blend in with the rest of the world. While we should be a reflection of Jesus in our communities and in our homes, too often we are just as dull and dark as those that do not know Christ.

We are to be in this world, reflecting Jesus and sharing His glorious light, but we cannot be of this world.

The Light of the World

I want to remind you all again of this very important verse.

““You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

In the most famous sermon of all time, the sermon on the mount, Jesus gives us a great collection of sayings and instructions. Some of the most impactful and iconic verses came from this sermon. This verse being one of them.

This verse was radical in the fact that it gave Christians a great amount of responsibility. It encouraged the Christians (who were merely known as his disciples at the time) to stop following the law, and simply follow Him. To truly be a light in the world, they couldn’t live like they had before. They couldn’t follow the law, and religion, though Jesus was clear that the law was not to be ignored. In order to be the light that Christ brought in Himself, they couldn’t just be “righteous”, but they had to be perfect.

“Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

The disciples didn’t have an understanding at this point of what Jesus meant. To say that we must be perfect just as our God is perfect seems to be heresy to the people of those days. But Jesus meant what He said. In order to be a light, and in order to enter the kingdom of Heaven, we must be perfect.

Reflecting Jesus

We now have a greater understanding of what Jesus meant when He said this. After His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus walked in a new body, and had lived on this earth for 40 more days. He eventually went up into Heaven but promised to send a helper. This is the Holy Spirit.

When we are born again, the Holy Spirit gives us new life, and a new spirit. With this new spirit and new life, we can walk in good works, and in the light that Jesus directs us to live in during the sermon on the mount. It is this new life that enables us to not be of this world, though we are in it. Because our spirit is of Christ-likeness, so we can walk as Christ walked, reflecting the light that He reflected.

Thus, it is through our born-again spirit, that we are made perfect and are able to share some light in our communities and homes. However, we must begin to understand how we are to do that, and it is really very simple.

Pursuing Christ

What we pursue, often reveals the path that we are going, and the seeds that we are planting in our lives. For instance, those that have a clear pursuit of money, typically wind up making some money, but they plant seeds of greed and anxiety along the way. There is something that they are pursuing that reveals paths that we are trotting and seeds that are being planted.

Likewise, when we pursue Christ, our paths change. We don’t go down the road that leads to death and darkness, but instead, we go down one that leads to light and positive change. We plant seeds of righteousness and are being changed into someone that openly displays the light of Christ. But we must pursue Christ.

Of course, pursuing Christ can relate to pray, scripture reading, and more, but it is very simple. Pursue relationship with Christ, and you will change into an image that displays the light of Christ, not darkness like the rest of the world.

Final Thoughts

With the mission of Lighthouse Teaching, we have a list of four core values or pillars. These pillars help us keep the focus of helping others become the light of Christ by keeping each post within the pillars. These are not full proof ways to instantly display light, but they do help, and they encourage you to be of this world, even though we have to be in it. You can check those pillars out here!

But overall, the most important things are this:

• Pursue relationship with Chirst
• Don’t look like the rest of the world

With these two things in mind, you can be sure that you will display the light of Christ.

In the meantime, go read the sermon on the mount. It’s incredible.